By Larry Canning
Where is our game going?
Over the years I have feared a lot of things… tight lies over bunkers, out of bounds posts, the 15th at NSW GC, funnel web spiders, beef wellington, Greg Norman… but my most recent cause of distress is the Ryder Cup.
This once magnificent event represented everything noble and revered in the game of golf. One of the last bastions of sporting integrity with values passed down from its inception in 1927, by everyone from the captains, the players, the announcers, right down to the fans. An event you couldn’t wait to share with your family.
What I saw at Bethpage Black in New York was not anything resembling that, or even close to a professional golf tournament. It was an ugly confrontation I wouldn’t dream of taking my kids to.
Its like I’m watching my beloved sport doing a complete cycle back to the little spoken about, early days of golf, which date back to the Chinese Yuan Dynasty. The local spectators were expected to threaten visiting guests with abusive suggestions on what might happen if they continue to play well against their local club professional and Mongolian PGA Chairman – Kublai Kahn.
In contrast, I just watched a world darts grand prix quarter final match between the world number two and crowd favourite Luke Litler and the current villain of the darts world former Rugby player – Gerwyn Price. I tell you what… do yourself a favour and watch an old recorded Ryder Cup played in Europe from a few years ago and make a point of listening to the crowd. Now whack on a darts tournament and do the same… maybe even shut your eyes and just listen.
I reckon listening to the fans at a professional darts tournament on TV is nearly identical to that of a Ryder Cup played in Europe.
Having fun, applauding the best players in the world who are giving it their heart and soul, coming up with brilliant chants about their favourite players, and appreciating the opportunity they have, to actually be there live.
No putting players off just before they are about to pull the trigger on a key shot. No dirty remarks about a player’s physique, shitty references to his marriage or former high-profile girlfriends, their heritage, yelling xenophobic, homophobic or any bloody “phobic” crap at the opposition. A few beers and plenty of noise of course but all in good fun with no booing, or verbal abuse.
I know the Ryder Cup makes a ton of US Bucks for the US PGA and Euros for the European Tour, depending on where its played, but with that huge bounty, surly there comes a responsibility to use its influence on sports fans watching from all points of the globe. Get that wrong and the ramifications can be irreversible.
In my opinion, the US PGA got it badly wrong.
Since it was announced the 2025 Cup would be played in New York, everyone who has at least half a brain, agreed it was going to be flat out hostile and aggressive…sure enough, it was all that and more!
It should have been remembered as one of the greatest Ryder Cups of all time with a thrilling final day equal to any major played for years but alas, it will be recalled for all the wrong reasons. The week began with the old welcome BBQ where Luke Donald made a beautifully worded speech sprinkled with a clever smidgeon of spice.
Just a reminder here Readers – there was pretty much universal condemnation from the world golfing community including Americans, when the US announced, they had agreed to the players demands to receive money for playing. The first time in the Ryder Cups history. The Europeans were asked by European Tour officials if they wanted the same gig but it was met with a resounding NO!
Luke Donald – “We’re not just playing to win, we’re playing for each other and for every young golfer back home who dreams about one day representing Team Europe.”
Then with a wry smile on his chops –
“We know it won’t be easy, winning away never is, only four European teams have done it before, but that’s the beauty of sport, the toughest roads lead to the greatest rewards… we are fueled by something money cannot buy, purpose, brotherhood and a responsibility to honour those who came before us while inspiring those who’s time is yet to come”
I don’t think I’ve been more moved by a speech since Mel Gibson shouted those famous words from his horse “They may take our lives… but they will never take our freedom”. Then of course all his loyal soldiers turned around and lifted the quilts in the general direction of the Poms.
The US PGA (different entity to the US PGA Tour) has 31,000 members who do amazing things to promote and sustain golf in America using money gained from this biennial spectacle but no amount of money can heal the wound this Ryder Cup has done?
Yes Readers, I fear the Ryder Cup has become a money maker at the expense of the game of golf and is now a broken model.
And as yet, I’m not hearing a lot of official statements from organisers on how their going fix it.
